Keown wrote in the Daily Mail: "I was very impressed with Chris Smalling, there now looks to be a future for him at centre-half; which is a positive from an England point of view. It was a big call by David Moyes to play Smalling in place of Rio Ferdinand but it worked.

"He looked dominant in the air – and beat Thomas Muller to a commanding header early on – and also coped well in one-on-ones with Franck Ribery when dragged to the wing. He was mobile and used the ball well."